High lead density vacuum feedthrough

Abstract

A vacuum feedthrough includes a metal case having elongated, closely spaced, parallel sidewalls and short, conjoining endwalls with a plurality of leads extending through the case open interior; the leads being arranged in closely spaced, parallel, side-by-side relation to and equi-distant between the sidewalls. A hermetic glass seal is created in the case interior in bonded relation with the plural leads and the case walls.

Having described the invention, what is claimed to secure by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A vacuum feedthrough comprising, in combination; a case having an open interior defined by a pair of elongated, closely spaced, parallel sidewalls and short, opposed, conjoining endwalls;   said case including first and second opposed, open ends, said case sidewalls and endwalls at said first end being integrally formed having a laterally offset, continuous, perimetrical flange facilitating feedthrough affixation to a vacuum enclosure;   a plurality of leads extending through said case open interior and having opposed ends extending beyond the opposed open ends of said case, said leads being arranged in closely spaced, parallel, side-by-side relation in a linear array oriented parallel to and equi-distant between said sidewalls;   a hermetic glass seal closing off said case open interior and effecting a lead-to-glass seal, said glass seal being located adjacent said second open end in spaced relation to said first open end of said case so that it occupies the case from said second open end to a fraction of the distance to the first open end;   said plurality of leads being in the form of a lead frame created from a metallic sheet having a planar array of closely spaced, coextensive rectangular leads integrally interconnected at the opposed ends thereof by separate headers. the leads having junctions with the headers at each end which are relieved to create weak points, said headers being severed from said lead ends at said junctions subsequent to the formation of said glass seal.   
     
     
       2. The vacuum feedthrough defined in claim 1, wherein said glass seal occupies said case interior from said second open end to approximately one-third the distance to said first open end. 
     
     
       3. The vacuum feedthrough defined in claim 2, wherein said sidewall conjoining endwalls are of a semi-circular shape.